HISTORY

Founded in 2019 by Carly Mattox, WTF Magazine began as a New York-based resource catering towards collegiate ballroom dancers. With support from the local collegiate community as well as several established professionals, the magazine quickly grew through publishing engaging essays, interviews, features, and opinion editorials. Carly’s personal desire to discuss challenges within the dancesport scene around her was echoed by her peers, allowing WTF to develop as a medium for posing these questions. Unafraid of covering potentially polemical or complex subjects, the magazine has hosted talks and pieces about same-sex partnerships, LGBTQ+ dancers, mental health in sports, internal politics, age, accessibility, and much more.

WTF halted its activities around July 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic presented difficulties for the publication’s operations and the dance community as a whole. It was unclear whether WTF would continue.

On the New Year of 2022, Annie Lu contacted Mattox enquiring after the magazine. Annie found herself persistently thinking back towards WTF, having previously submitted to the publication over a year ago. After some discussion, they both agreed that WTF was too unique and necessary of a platform to abandon. Believing that WTF had yet a purpose to fulfill, the two decided to revive the magazine under an expanded vision in order to augment the potential of its content.